Gratitude for the Days Gone By

My mother hasn’t called me up since last Wednesday. It’s just been two days and I don’t want to sound like a baby in the crib seeking attention, but it’s getting me feeling sad. Away from home and always in this feeling of constant transition has drained me a lot. Friends and well wishers are around but there’s this emotional need that has grown with time and has me craving for home. But what is home anyway? I have grown my own safe haven of familiarities and comforts here in these few months. But still, this feeling persists.

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On gratitude front I have a lot to talk about.  Last Monday when I and my hostel mate were travelling from Delhi to Dehradun by train, life turned happening. Our AC chair car was stopped at Roorkee station for an uncertain time period. Upon inquiring we found a certain luggage train had derailed and the tracks were being repaired. And it could take hours. Slowly and steadily, by and by, the crowd grew thinner in our berth. Everyone started taking off with their luggage. So, we had to take a decision too. It was 8:30 pm and we decided to move to the bus stand, despite the internet showing ‘No Buses Available’ at that hour. Some said the next bus to Dehradun would go at 4 am. Some said there’s a bus available every half an hour. Not knowing what we were getting into was irritating me to no end.

So off we went with our luggage and waited in the bus stand. And finally, thank goodness, we got ourselves a bus to Dehradun and seats too, after letting go of two overcrowded ones. Finally breathing! Heaving a sigh of relief. Hah. And all the while my hostel mate was busy getting excited by the supposed adventure we were embarking on, taking selfies and uploading on Instagram while I tried to calm my pulsating over anxious thumping machine and being practical and act like a grown up and keep thinking logically and trying hard not to get irritated by the street vendors who shouted at the top of their voices to sell their puris and pakodas and samosas to the unexpected crowd gathered at their vicinity.

Haha! Quite a unique experience. But this doesn’t end here. We reached Dehradun at around 12 midnight. From the bus stand we had to take an auto to our hostel which is in the outskirts and it was freaking chilly night. Thank god for the hot Maggi we took along for the hour-long ride. It saved our insides. Good Lord!  And it started raining midway. And I could only imagine possible encounters with a leopard on the road at that moment, calling upon all the Gods I could remember. Dead night 1 am and we were finally at the hostel, in our rooms, after such a tiring day, ready to sleep it off inside the blankets. Oh, what a night it was!

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I watched a movie today- ‘Crazy Rich Asians’. I had seen a lot of hashtags and pictures around the book in Twitter and Instagram and it had me intrigued. I rather enjoyed it. Not a very unique tale, and a rather predictable one at that, but watch it just for an enjoyable two hours and it’s really good. It kind of reminded me of The Great Gatsby in some parts- especially the lavish parties and luxurious attire and makeup. I like Asian characters and stories.

The movie is based in Singapore mostly. The premise is quite interesting. And what appealed to me the most was this wedding scene of the male lead’s friend which was so visually appealing, mesmerizing indeed and emotional too, with the song ‘I can’t help falling in love with you’ crooning in the background. It’s a rather emotionally appealing song. Slow and soothing. Do listen to it once. And yes, also, the actress mouthing an ‘I love you’ amidst tears to her boyfriend who was standing across the hall as the groom’s best man, moved by the entire wedding scene.

I am halfway through another movie- ‘Love, Simon’- again based on a book. I am enjoying it too.

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How was your post Diwali weekend? How’s this weekend going? What are your vacation plans for December and where do you want to be at during the New Year? I would like to know it all.